Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of 15 persons who were killed in the bus mishap in Anantapur district on Wednesday.

"Expressing condolences over the accident, Naidu also announced an aid of Rs 2 lakh to those seriously injured and Rs one lakh to those who sustained injuries in the accident," a state government release said.

Fifteen people, 10 among them college students including a girl, were killed and 30 others injured when the state-run bus fell into a deep dug-up area adjoining a hilly road whose levelling work was on, at around 8:30 AM.

Naidu, who chaired a day-long pre-budget meeting with ministers and officials in Vijayawada today, stressed that Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) should take measures to avoid recurrence of such accidents.

The state government would help the families of the victims of the accident, Naidu said while asking officials to ensure "good" medical treatment for the injured persons.

Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana expressed pain over the death of citizens in "frequent" road accidents and underlined the need to promote awareness among people about them, especially among drivers, the release said.

"The government would make efforts to raise the awareness," the release quoted Narayana as saying.

Condolences also poured in from leaders cutting across party lines with YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy expressing "profound" shock over the incident.

"Jagan would visit the site of the accident in Anantapur district," a YSRCP release said.

CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna, his CPI(M) counterpart P Madhu, Lok Satta president N Jayaprakash Narayan have also expressed their condolences over the death of 15 people.